Woman In Vegetative State Raped, Gives Birth At Healthcare Facility, Father Unknown

A woman in a vegetative state at a healthcare facility in Phoenix, Arizona gave birth to a baby boy on Dec 29. Police suspect the woman to have been possibly raped. They have launched an investigation. The woman has been in the facility for a decade after a near-drowning incident. Police said, the child is doing well.

A source told local media that the staff at the Hacienda HealthCare facility was unaware the woman was pregnant. They only learnt about it when "she was pretty much giving birth." When a Arizona Family reporter asked the source as to how they were alerted about her going into labor, the source said that "she was moaning."

“There was a nurse who was there, and from what I’ve heard she’s the one that delivered the baby,” the source said, adding: “From what I know the baby is alive and healthy.”

Details about when the sexual abuse took place remains unclear. Phoenix Police Sgt. Tommy Thompson said "the matter is currently under investigation."

Hacienda HealthCare spokeswoman Nancy Salmon released the following statement after Arizona's Family asked about the case.

"Hacienda Healthcare has been in business in the valley for over 50 years, and has an outstanding reputation providing high quality specialized care for our patients. As a Healthcare provider, we cannot comment on any patient due to Federal and State privacy laws. Additionally, we cannot comment on any ongoing investigations. We can only say that our patients and clients health and safety is our #1 priority and that we always cooperate, when asked by any agency, in an open and transparent way."

The Arizona Department of Health Services also released a statement.

"We are aware of this situation and are actively working with local law enforcement in their criminal investigation. Upon learning of the allegation, Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) immediately initiated an onsite complaint investigation to ensure the health and safety of patients and the facility, in compliance with all state laws and regulations. During this time, the agency has required heightened safety measures be implemented at the facility including increased staff presence during patient interactions, increased monitoring of the patient care areas, and increased security measures with respect to visitors at the facility."

The Arizona Department of Economic Security said in a statement: "The Department has been made aware of these allegations and we continue to work fully with the Phoenix Police Department in their ongoing investigation. Upon hearing of these allegations, we immediately dispatched a team to conduct health and safety checks on all members residing at this health care facility, which has been completed. We will continue to work to ensure the safety of all our members."